(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-01-03 09:13

SEOUL - South Korean boxer Choi Yo-sam, who fell into a coma after winning his WBO intercontinental flyweight title fight last week, was declared officially dead early Thursday, a hospital spokesman said.

Boxer Choi Yo-sam has his brain waves monitored at a hospital in Seoul January 2, 2008. Choi, who lapsed into a coma last week defending his World Boxing Organisation intercontinental flyweight title, appears to be brain dead, a boxing official said on Wednesday. [Agencies]

The declaration was made at 12:18 a.m. (1518 GMT Wednesday) after which Choi's internal organs were removed, said the spokesman at Asan Hospital in Seoul, who declined to give his name.

A hospital committee had pronounced Choi brain dead Wednesday after conducting a series of tests. Choi had been in a coma since shortly after winning the fight against Indonesian challenger Heri Amol in Seoul on Dec. 25.

The 33-year-old South Korean was knocked down just before the end of the 12th and final round of the bout but got back up and was declared the winner on points before collapsing.